CEO of victim-services organization said driver did the right thing, encouraged public to look for similar warning signs

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Updated: 9:01 PM CST Dec 28, 2016

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WEBVTT COUNSELORS AND POLICE OFFICERSSEE THESE ARE THINGS THATEVERYONE CAN RECOGNIZE.BARELY A MONTH INTO THEJOB,THIS UBER DRIVER -->> IT WAS ABOUT 13 MINUTES.MAX: ALMOST IMMEDIATELY KEITHNOTICED WITH THE GIRL SITTINGNEXT AND WAS WEARING.>> YOU COULD SEE ALL OF HERLEGS.IT STRUCK ME AS ODD BECAUSE SHEWAS SO YOUNG.MAX: AS HER APPEARANCE CAUGHTHIS EYE, A CONVERSATION BETWEENTHE 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND ONE OFTHE WOMEN IN THE BACK SEATCAUGHT HIS EAR.KEITH SAID IT SOUNDED MORE LIKECOACHING.>> THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TODO IS ASK, DO YOU HAVE ANYWEAPONS?PAT HIM DOWN.PAT HIM DOWN WHILE YOU'REHUGGING THEM.GET THE DONATION FIRST.BEFORE YOU START TOUCHING HIM,GET THE DONATION.MAX: HE QUICKLY BECAME AWARETHAT THE AUDI AND EXPRESS ELKGROVE WAS MORE THAN JUST TO STOPFOR THE GIRL NEXT HIM.AS SOON AS HE DROPPED OFF THEGIRL AND THE WOMEN, HE CALLEDPOLICE.>> GET JUST ENOUGH DISTANCEWHERE THEY COULD NOT ME AND IMADE THE PHONE CALL.>> THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OFTHE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER INRECOGNIZING THAT SOMETHING ISNOT RIGHT.MAX: ANONPROFIT AGENCY INSACRAMENTO COUNTY THAT WORKSWITH VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ANDSEXUAL ABUSE AS WELL AS SEXTRAFFICKING.>> THE TRAFFICKER IS LOOKING FORSOMEBODY THAT HE CAN GROOM TOWORK FOR HIM.THEY'RE LOOKING FORVULNERABILITY, LOOKING FOR KIDSTHE NOBODY IS LOOKING FOR.KIDS AND I FOSTER SYSTEM,RUNAWAYS.MAX: JUST RECENTLY SACRAMENTOCOUNTY BEGIN COLLECTING DATA ONSEX TRAFFICKING VICTIM.WE CAN NOW IDENTIFY MORE THAN100 KIDS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHSLEAD IN TRAFFIC.IT HOPE IS THE PUBLIC AND ALSOIDENTIFY THEM.>> LOOKING FOR YOUNG GIRLS ORBOYS WHO ARE NOT WEARING THINGSTHAT THEY SHOULD BE AN OBVIOUSLYNOT ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL.THEYARE LURKING AROUND, THEYARE LURKING AROUND, THERE WITHSOMEONE A LOT OLDER.MAX: THESE ARE THE KINDS OFSCIENCE KEITH NOTICED.

​How an Uber driver stopped child sex trafficking

CEO of victim-services organization said driver did the right thing, encouraged public to look for similar warning signs

Avila said the woman told the girl, "'First thing you want to do is ask: Do you have any weapons? When you're hugging him, just ask, do you have any weapons? Pat him down. Pat him down while you're hugging him. Get the donation, first. Before you start touching him, going in there, get the donation first.'"

This discussion, coupled with the girl’s attire, alerted Avila to the possibility that child sex trafficking was taking place in his car.

After dropping all three off at the Holiday Inn Express in Elk Grove, Avila said he moved to a safe distance and immediately called police.

“I think this is a perfect example of the community coming together and recognizing that something is not right,” said Beth Hassett, CEO of WEAVE, which serves victims of domestic and sexual abuse in Sacramento County.

Hassett said traffickers are looking for runaways like the 16-year-old girl. They’re also looking for boys, any children in foster care and any children who look lost or vulnerable.

Women are often used as recruiters, she said, because there is an easy way of establishing trust with a female victim.

Hassett said Avila noticed obvious signs and believes the public can also look for them as well.

“[You’re] looking for young girls or boy who aren't where it seems like it should be," Hassett explained. "They're obviously not on their way to school. You don't think there are books in that backpack. They're lurking around. They're with somebody who's a lot older than them."

Uber did not comment on the situation involving Avila but praised his actions.

Uber does not provide human trafficking training, but it is partnered with ECPAT-USA, which works to end child slavery.

Literature on their partnership and education about child sex trafficking is available to drivers on Uber’s website.

Pettway and Westley remain in the Sacramento County Jail on pimping related charges. Their bail is set at $500,000.

Vang was also arrested but was released from Sacramento County Jail Tuesday on bail.